Guitar construction



1, 1931. B, puo 1,834,804 7 GUITAR CONSTRUCTION v Filed Sept. 10. 1930 IN V EN TOR.

B. .J. PUDINH BY i 5;

% ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 1 1931 I UNi'rED STATES BENJAMIN K. rnoInA, or KAHULUI, TERRITORY or HAWAII GUITAR vCONS'ITR-U'GTION Application filed September 10, 1930. Serial No. 481,028.

This invention relates to improvements in guitars, of that type commonly known as steel guitars. a l

The principal object of the invention is to produce a guitar which is simple in construction, and one which has a better tone quality. v

Another object is to producev a guitar wherein the resonance chamber is greatly-i1 creased in size.

Other objectsand advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure I is a top plan view of my improved guitar, a

Figure II is a side elevation of Figure I,

Figure III is a View similar to Figure I with thetop removed, and I Figure IV is an elevation of the pocket board. 7 I

Steel guitars are played with the guitar laying upon the lap or knees of the player and the strings are picked with one hand while the fretting is done with a steel piece held against the strings. In this type of guitar, it has been common to form the handle or neck of the guitar of a solid piece of wood secured to the resonance chamber or drum portion of the guitar. The result is that the guitar could only have a resonance chamber equal to the size of the drum portion, By my improved method of construction, it is possible to increase the resonance chamber so as to take in the entire handle portion and to also include in the resonance chamber a sound pocket in a manner to be hereinafter described. 7

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 5 designates the side of the guitar which is preferably formed ofa thin wood bent to proper shape, which shape may be any desired form to accomplish the purpose sought to be realized;

It will be noted that the ends 6 and 7 converge toward each other and are secured to the head 8 which is preferably a solid block in which the string tightening keys arelocated. i

A top 9 and bottomll aresecured to the sidepieces of the guitar in any approved manner. The top 9 has sound openings 12 formed in the surface thereof and sound openings 13. These openings may be of any desired shape so as to permit sound to escape from the chamber 14. H

A sound chamber 16 is formed in the drum portionby providing a chamber board 17 which extends from side toside of the guitar and from top to bottom thereof. A portion of the board is cut away as shown at 18 so as to permit the vibrations to pass from the chamber 16 to r the resonance chamber '14:. The customary strings are provided as shown in Figure I.

In orderto prevent splitting of the side board 5, I provide re-enforcing blocks 19 which blocks prevent the lengthwise cracking of the fine material from which the guitar is constructed, or if a crack starts, these blocks will stop the same from extendin the entire length of the strip. I

The result of this construction is that when the guitar is played, due to the fact that the handle portion of the guitar is hollow amuch greater volume will be given out, which volume will also have better'tone quality than has been produced in steel guitars heretofore. f I

This tone quality is also mellowed byv the creation of the chamber 16 which in some manner dampens the vibrations so as to produce a more mellow quality of music without increasing the volume.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown-and described is to be'taken as'a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the shape, size, material and arrangement ofv parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim. 7 I

Having thus described my invention, I claim In aguitar, a side piece, top and bottom pieces secured to said side piece, a head secured-to said s de piece, sa1d construction forming a tone chamber, extending substantially the entire length of the guitar and a partition hoard positioned in said tone chamber and spaced from one end thereof, said 5 partition board having a portion thereof out away so as to form communication throughout the entire length of the guitar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BENJAMIN K. PUOINA. 

